British oil dispute with Argentina escalates

reply to post by Terapin


Great work, Terapin. Thanks for the educational posts, which stood head and shoulders above the rest in the thread.

I like the suggestion made resembling a Hong-Kong agreement. Seems like the best (and only) compromise.

My only reservation is the mess humans tend to make in turning back the clock to 'right' history. I don't see the US handing back the western territories to spain, mexico, or any indian tribe - I don't see Israelis packing it up and giving land to Palestinians. We can't go back in time, and relocate everyone to where they were 200 years ago....
which makes me think... should ANYone be able to claim oil at this juncture? I nearly choked reading about uk's claim to antartica's resources...does the moon belong to the us because we were the first to stick a flag in it?

If Peak Oil is indeed upon us, is there any way to avoid a mad and bloody dash for crude?


Good stuff. Great thread. Hard questions.

Time to rub my beard and ponder deeply....


peace.





[edit on 7-3-2010 by TrueTruth]

reply to post by TrueTruth


As far as relocating people, Argentina has specifically guaranteed that they have no intention of relocating anyone. That all current inhabitants have a guarantee of "continuity of lifestyle." Argentinas concern is sovereignty not population.

The Hong Kong type of leaseback was initially proposed by the British years ago and most, who agree with decolonization, agree that this is the way forward. There have been several proposals on the details but in general the idea is to make as little change as possible. If, and I say if the Argentines regain sovereignty, the current islanders would be allowed to remain British citizens for perhaps three generations if they so chose. I have a copy of one of the proposals and can post it here if anyone is interested. It would begin with a joint administration of the islands, something the UK proposed several years back, shortly before the '82 war.

If anyone is interested there is an extremely well researched book about the legal aspects of the dispute which covers both the British case as well as the Argentine side. It was published by Martinus Nijihoff publishers at the Hague in the Netherlands in 2001. The title is The Falklands/Malvinas Case: Breaking the Deadlock in the Anglo-ArgentineSovereignty Dispute. By Robert C. Laver. He goes into great detail about the legal aspects of the historical events, taking in expert legal commentary from both British and international legal scholars. He discusses why the British government does not use Acquisitive Prescription (Acquiescence) for their case, because it is a weak stance and legal president goes against it. The author does not take sides, but merely presents the case as though it was being put forth in front of the International Court of the Hague. It is a fascinating look at both the history of the Islands and the various international laws involved. I don't suggest that you go out and buy a copy as it is about $180. but if you can find a copy at your library you might find it worth your time to read. It is full of details, history, and applicable laws, and explains quite clearly why the international community has not backed British sovereignty, and why the UN continues to call for decolonization.

Originally posted by TrueTruth
...does the moon belong to the us because we were the first to stick a flag in it?

LOL actually I have heard some people try to make that claim. If I were to follow the methods used by those who unilaterally support British sovereignty of the Falklands, without looking at the legal aspects and data, I could try to claim that well . . .
1.) We were there first
2.) We left a plaque behind.
3.) We planted a flag in the traditional method of claiming territory
4.) No one has protested thus far of our several moon landings, nor the one we are planning involving a humanoid robot in the near future. (I had a great conversation today with one of the engineers for the project. Project M) Thus ownership by acquiescence
5.) We are the only nation to have had a man pick up a piece of the Moon and bring it back to strengthen our claim.
6.) We left a car there so we could drive around our property.
7.) We have a golf course there and are still waiting for the caddy to retrieve our ball. (maybe that is what the robot will be for??)
8.) We postmarked mail on the Moon, an official government action that clearly establishes sovereignty.
and Finally,. . . Americans produce more cheese than any other nation on Earth, but as the Greeks eat more than anybody, the US needs more Cheese so we must race to the Moon and begin harvesting all that Moon cheese quick! The Chinese say they are going to the Moon but thankfully, they don't like cheese very much.

Seems pretty clear to me.

reply to post by Terapin


thanks muchly. i won't pretend i'll look for the book, but i do appreciate your solid coverage of the story.

i'm totally going to build condos on the moon.

it's MINE I tell you, MINE!